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Hello! Project
Hello! Project (ハロー!プロジェクト) is the umbrella name for all female idol Japanese pop recording artists that are under contract with the UP-FRONT GROUP Co., Ltd. , and managed by UP-FRONT PROMOTION. Most Hello! Project artists' recordings are published by Up-Front Works on the zetima, PICCOLO TOWN or hachama record labels. Iida Kaori's Mediterranean styled works are released under the Chichukai label and Maeda Yuki's under the Rice Music label. Country Musume's older work was released on the Potato Label, Coconuts Musume's older works were originally released on the Sony record label, Sheki-Dol's first singles were released on SPREE RECORDS and Heike Michiyo's older works on Warner Music Japan, but they eventually all moved to zetima. The "mothership" group of Hello! Project is the supergroup Morning Musume. The main producer and songwriter is Tsunku, the lead singer of Sharan Q. The current leader of Hello! Project is Morning Musume Leader, Niigaki Risako. History 1997-2002 In 1997, rock group Sharam Q, fronted by Tsunku, began auditions for a female vocalist. These auditions aired via reality show ASAYAN, and resulted in Heike Michiyo being crowned winner. Tsunku, however, decided to give five of the runner-ups (Nakazawa Yuko, Abe Natsumi, Iida Kaori, Fukuda Asuka and Ishiguro Aya) a chance to become a group in their own right. The girls were set the task of selling 50,000 copies of "Ai no Tane", their demo single, in just five days. The girls sold the required number of copies in four days, and subsequently became an official group... Morning Musume's debut single, "Morning Coffee", was released on January 28, 1998 on the'' One Up Music '' label and charted at #6 on the Oricon weekly chart. The group's first official appearance was a joint live in August 1998, at Shibuya Public Hall (now Shibuya C.C. Lemon Hall), under the name "Heike Michiyo and Morning Musume" (平家みちよとモーニング娘。), the fanclub of the two acts was called "Hello!". The first official "units" were Tanpopo and Petitmoni, created in October In 1998, the first "Michiyo Heike & Morning Musume Imotōbun Audition" took place, resulting in the addition of the "second generation" of Morning Musume, made up of Ichii Sayaka, Yaguchi Mari and Yasuda Kei. In January 1999, auditions for Country Musume were held on "Idol o Sagase!" (アイドルをさがせ!, Search For an Idol!). In April of that year the girls' official fanclub was renamed "Hello! Project". Auditions were once again held on ASAYAN between April and July, resulting in Taiyo to Ciscomoon and Coconuts Musume, with Country Musume's official formation announced. In July, the first live concert as Hello! Project, "Hello! Project '99 at Yokohama Arena", was held. The first shuffle units were formed in March 2000, releasing the "theme" of Hello! Project as a B-side. The first Hello! Project television show, "Hello! Morning", was created in April and aired from 2001 to 2005. In March 2001, Morning Musume co-founder and leader Nakazawa Yuko announced her graduation from the group. The actual graduation took place in April, and Nakazawa was subsequently named as leader of the entirety of Hello! Project. Nakazawa's graduation garnered considerable media attention, the first time the group had truly caught the attention of the mainstream press. Between April and June 2002, the first and only, Hello! Project Kids auditions were held. These auditions resulted in the future members of Berryz Koubou and ℃-ute, also spawning off-shoot auditions such as auditions for Hello! Pro Kenshuusei and Hello! Pro Kansai. On July 31, a major reform of all of the groups within Hello! Project began, which was referred to as "Haromageddon" (ハローマゲドン) (a pun on Hello (ハロー, Harō) and Armageddon (ハルマゲドン, "Harumagedon")) and "the 7/31 incident" by fans. 2006-present Beginning in 2006, with the graduation of more and more Hello! Project members, an increasing number of fans began to lose interest in the groups and abandon them, cancelling their fanclub memberships and refusing to buy merchandise. This wave came to be known as the "Second coming of Haromageddon". In February of that year, former Morning Musume member and sub-leader of duo W, Kago Ai was caught smoking in public while underage and dating a much older man. Kago was suspended from her activities and eventually began an attempt to return to recording. On March 26, 2007, Kago was again caught smoking. Her contract was instantly terminated and she underwent no graduation ceremony, as had become standard for leaving members, due to having disgraced herself. In June, it was announced that Konno Asami, who had graduated from Hello! Project a year prior to study at university, would be returning. Konno became the first person to have graduated from Hello! Project to return. In October, Tsunku established a new unit, the NICE GIRL Project!, as well as THE Possible, a group made up of Hello! Pro Egg members. Soon after, former Morning Musume member Goto Maki, who had been inactive for some time, graduated from Hello! Project as a soloist. She later transferred to Avex. In 2007, Hello! Project started the Taiwanese "Morning Family New Star Audition"; an audition aimed at recruiting new Taiwanese members to join Hello! Project. In April 2008, the debut of Hello! Pro Kansai group SI☆NA was announced. The group never officially debuted and never recorded a song, though they occasionally appear on television shows and radio. In September it was announced that, as a result of the Taiwanese auditions, the group Ice Creamusume (アイスクリー娘。) would be formed, consisting of six members. Duo Frances & Aiko, both still only children, were announced from the same audition. On October 19, 2008, Hello! Project announced that its entire Elder Club would be graduating on March 31, 2009. 2008 also marked the first time in a decade that Morning Musume had not performed at the annual Kōhaku Uta Gassen event, after ten consecutive appearances. The only Hello! Project member to appear on that year's show was Satoda Mai, marking the first appearance of a member of Country Musume. In February 2009, it was announced that Hello! Project would begin a series of auditions in South Korea, the sole winner was Jang Da Yeon. On February 1, 2009, at the Yokohama Arena, Hello! Project held its largest concert ever—Hello! Project 2009 Winter Kettei! Hello☆Pro Award '09 ~Elder Club Sotsugyou Kinen Special~—featuring 21 groups and 72 members. Former Morning Musume member Tsuji Nozomi performed in her first official event in a year and nine months, after marrying actor Sugiura Taiyo in June 2007 and giving birth to her daughter, Noa, that November. During the concert, then-Hello! Project leader Nakazawa Yuko passed her leadership position to Morning Musume leader Takahashi Ai. This mass-graduation caused another large surge of fan backlash, resulting in even more fanclub cancellations and merchandise boycotts, and is considered the "third coming of Haromageddon". Later in 2009, several of the old, dormant units were revived. Tanpopo, Minimoni, Petitmoni, ZYX, Aa! and v-u-den all returned with new line-ups, and High-King returned from hiatus with its original members. These groups became a new concert unit, "Champuru". At the end of October 2010, Suzuki Airi from ℃-ute appeared on the cover of the December issue of UP to boy magazine together with Mayu Watanabe from AKB48. That was the first gravure collaboration between Hello! Project and AKB48. On September 30, 2011, Takahashi Ai graduated and handed her position as leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project over to Niigaki Risa. In January 2012, Morning Musume and Hello! Project leader Niigaki Risa announced her graduation at the end of Morning Musume's 2012 Spring tour. After her graduation, Niigaki Risako took over as leader of Morning Musume and Hello! Project. That same month, Hello! Pro Egg also changed it's name to Hello! Pro Kenshuusei. On the July 26, 2013, Hello! Project changed its logo. The new logo has a blue background with "Hello! Project" written in middle in white, under it the text "since 1998" can be seen. As of September 2013, Hello! Project consists of the current members of Morning Musume, Berryz Koubou, ℃-ute, S/mileage, Juice=Juice, Mitsui Aika, and Hello! Pro Kenshuusei. Members ;Leader of Hello! Project :Niigaki Risako (May 19, 2012 - Present) Current Lineup *'(L) = Leader' *'(SL)' = Sub-Leader *'© = Captain' *'(SC) = Sub-Captain' Current Units *Buono! * SATOYAMA movement units ** Peaberry ** DIY♡ ** GREEN FIELDS ** Harvest ** Jurin * SATOUMI movement units ** Dia Lady ** Mellowquad ** HI-FIN *Ujicha♥Taishi Maccha's *Gatas Brilhantes H.P. *Metro Rabbits H.P. Trainees *Hello! Pro Kenshuusei Former Artists and Groups Graduated members left Hello! Project with a graduation ceremony; and other departing members either left, withdrew, quit, or were fired. There is also the possibility of leaving a subgroup and remaining in Hello! Project as a soloist. Concert Units * Hello! Project Akagumi (Active in 2005) * Hello! Project Shirogumi (Active in 2005) * Elder Club (Graduated in 2009) * Wonderful Hearts (Inactive since 2010) Former Artists *Graduated from Hello! Project as a solo artist ** Miyoshi Chinatsu ** Heike Michiyo ** Ishii Rika ** Shimmin (Hello! Project Foreign Student) ** Goto Maki ** Nakazawa Yuko (L''' 2001.04.15-2009.03.31) ** Iida Kaori ** Abe Natsumi ** Inaba Atsuko ** Matsuura Aya ** Yasuda Kei ** Yaguchi Mari ** Tsuji Nozomi ** Ishikawa Rika ** Yoshizawa Hitomi ** Konno Asami ** Ogawa Makoto ** Fujimoto Miki ** Maeda Yuki ** Satoda Mai (Country Musume) ** Miyoshi Erika ** Okada Yui ** Korenaga Miki ** Mano Erina *Graduated from Morning Musume and Hello! Project ** Fukuda Asuka ** Ishiguro Aya ** Ichii Sayaka ** Kusumi Koharu ** Kamei Eri ** Junjun ** Linlin ** Takahashi Ai ('''L 2009.04.01 - 2011.09.30) ** Niigaki Risa (L 2011.10.1 - 2012.05.18) ** Tanaka Reina *Graduated from Berryz Koubou and Hello! Project ** Ishimura Maiha * Graduated from ℃-ute and Hello! Project ** Umeda Erika *Left ℃-ute and Hello! Project ** Murakami Megumi ** Arihara Kanna *Graduated from S/mileage and Hello! Project ** Ogawa Saki ** Maeda Yuuka *Left Hello! Pro Korea Kenshuusei and Hello! Project **Jang Da Yeon *Graduated from Hello! Pro Kenshuusei and Hello! Project as a group **THE Possible *** Akiyama Yurika *** Hashimoto Aina *** Morozuka Kanami *** Okada Robin Shouko *** Oose Kaede *** Goto Yuki *Graduated from Hello! Project as a group ** Melon Kinenbi *** Saito Hitomi *** Murata Megumi *** Ohtani Masae *** Shibata Ayumi * Left Hello! Project Taiwan as a Group ** Frances & Aiko *''See Hello! Pro Kenshuusei Members for members that graduated from both Hello! Pro Kenshuusei and Hello! Project.'' Leaderships Hello! Project Leaders Main Group Leaders Group Leadership Acts Albums *2001.12.19 Cover Morning Musume! ~Various Artist Covers "MORNING MUSUME"!~ (カバー・モーニング娘。) (self-cover album) *2002.10.30 CLUB Hello! TRANCE REMIX *2002.12.18 Cover Morning Musume Hello! Project! (カバー・モーニング娘。ハロー! プロジェクト!) (self-cover album) *2003.01.29 Hip Hits! Morning Musume Hello! Project! INTERNATIONAL COLLECTION (self-cover album) *2008.12.10 Hello! Project Special Unit Mega Best (ハロー! プロジェクト スペシャルユニット メガベスト) *2008.12.10 Hello! Project Shuffle Unit Mega Best (ハロー! プロジェクト シャッフルユニット メガベスト) *2009.07.15 Chanpuru 1 ~Happy Marriage Song Cover Shuu~ (チ'ャンプル 1～ハッピーマリッジソングカバー集～) Other Albums *2001.11.29 FOLK SONGS (Ichii Sayaka with Nakazawa Yuko) *2001.11.29 The Douyou Pops 1 Christmas to Fuyu no Uta Shuu (ザ・童謡ポップス1 クリスマスと冬のうた集) *2002.02.20 The Douyou Pops 2 Haru no Uta Shuu (ザ・童謡ポップス2　春のうた集) *2002.05.22 FOLK SONGS 2 (Nakazawa Yuko, Melon Kinenbi, Matsuura Aya & Ishii Rika) *2002.06.25 The Douyou Pops 3 Natsu no Uta Shuu (ザ･童謡ポップス3 夏のうた集) *2002.09.04 The Douyou Pops 4 Aki no Uta Shuu (ザ･童謡ポップス4 秋のうた集) *2002.10.23 FS3 FOLK SONGS 3 (Nakazawa Yuko, Goto Maki & Fujimoto Miki) *2002.12.04 Shinsaku Douyou Pops 1 (新作童謡ポップス (一)) *2003.03.06 Shinsaku Douyou Pops 2 (新作童謡ポップス (二)) *2003.05.21 FS4 FOLK SONGS 4 (Nakazawa Yuko, Yasuda Kei, Yaguchi Mari & Melon Kinenbi) *2004.02.25 FS5 Sotsugyou (FS5 卒業) (Nakazawa Yuko, Abe Natsumi, Yasuda Kei, Goto Maki, Matsuura Aya & Country Musume) *2009.12.23 TOHOKU RAKUTEN GOLDEN EAGLES 5TH ANNIVERSARY " SONGS of RAKUTEN EAGLES " (Morning Musume, DEF.DIVA, GAM, ℃-ute) Petit Best Compilation Series *2000.04.26 Petit Best ~Ki Ao Aka~ (プッチベスト～黄青あか～) *2001.12.19 Petit Best 2 ~3・7・10~ (プッチベスト2～三・7・10～) *2002.12.18 Petit Best 3 (プッチベスト3) *2003.12.17 Petit Best 4 (プッチベスト4) *2004.12.22 Petit Best 5 (プッチベスト5) *2005.12.26 Petit Best 6 (プッチベスト6) *2006.12.20 Petit Best 7 (プッチベスト7) *2007.12.12 Petit Best 8 (プッチベスト8) *2008.12.10 Petit Best 9 (プッチベスト9) *2009.12.02 Petit Best 10 (プッチベスト10) *2010.12.15 Petit Best 11 (プッチベスト11) *2011.12.07 Petit Best 12 (プッチベスト12) *2012.12.05 Petit Best 13 (プッチベスト13) *2013.12.11 Petit Best 14 (プッチベスト14) Sports festivals *2001.03.31 Hello! Project Daiundōkai (Saitama Super Arena) *2002.11.03 Hello! Project Daiundōkai (Osaka Dome) *2003.11.16 Hello! Project Sports Festival 2003 (Osaka Dome) *2003.11.22 Hello! Project Sports Festival 2003 (Tokyo Dome) *2004.11.14 Hello! Project Sports Festival 2004 (Toyota Stadium) *2004.12.05 Hello! Project Sports Festival 2004 (Saitama Super Arena) *2006.03.19 Hello! Project Sports Festival 2006 ~Hello!Diva Athlete~ (Saitama Super Arena) Radio Shows Many of the groups/girls in Hello! Project host radio shows or have in the past. They include guest speakers, upcoming release previews, the girls' selected choices of music and often funny radio skits or segments. Current Shows Past Shows TV Shows *- 2002.03.26 Idol wo Sagase! (アイドルをさがせ！) *- 2000.09.29 Morning Musume no Heso (モーニング娘。のへそ) *- 2007.04.01 Hello! Morning (ハロー！モーニング) *- 2001.03.30 Bishoujo Nikki (美少女日記) *- 2001.09.28 Bishoujo Kyouiku (美少女教育) *- 2002.03.29 Shin Bishoujo Nikki (新・美少女日記) *- 2002.09.27 Bishoujo Kyouiku II (美少女教育II) *- 2002.12.24 Morning Musume Tsuushin (モーニング娘。通信) *- 2003.03.28 Bishoujo Nikki III (美少女日記III) *- 2003.09.27 Sexy Onnajyuku (セクシー女塾) *- 2003.12.26 Soreyuke! Gorokkies (それゆけ!ゴロッキーズ) *- 2004.04.02 Yoroshiku! Senpai (よろしく!センパイ) *- 2004.10.01 Futarigoto (二人ゴト) *- 2004.12.24 Majokko Rikachan no Magical Biyuuden (魔女っ娘。梨華ちゃんのマジカル美勇伝) *- 2005.04.01 Musume Document 2005 (娘。ドキュメント2005) *- 2006.05.05 Musume DOKYU! (娘DOKYU!) *- 2006.11.24 Hello Pro Hour (Online only) *- 2006.09.29 Musume DOKYU! Eruda Yonchoume no Hitobito (娘DOKYU!～絵流田4丁目の人々～) *- 2008.03.28 Uta Doki! Pop Classics (歌ドキッ！～ポップクラシックス～) *- 2007.02.17 ℃-ute has come. *- 2008.09.28 Haromoni@ (ハロモニ@) *- 2008.10.03 Berikyuu! (ベリキュー！) *- 2009.03.27 Yorosen! (よろセン！) *- 2010.03.25 Bijo Houdan (美女放談) *- 2011.04.14 Bijo Gaku (美女学) *- 2012.05.24 Hello Pro! TIME (ハロプロ！ＴＩＭＥ) *- present Hello! SATOYAMA Life (ハロ！ＳＡＴＯＹＡＭＡライフ) Total Sales *''(All totals are current as of April 23 2013)'' By Act By Sales Hello! Project Highest Selling Singles *Morning Musume - LOVE Machine (1,760,000) *Petitmoni - Chokotto LOVE (1,123,610) *Minimoni - Minimoni. Jankenpyon! / Haru Natsu Aki Fuyu Daisukki! (763,380) *Akagumi 4 - Akai Nikkichou (507,850) (in comparison to the other 2000 shuffle groups) *Goto Maki - Ai no Bakayarou (434,790) *Tanpopo - Koi wo Shichaimashita! (386,830) *Matsuura Aya - ♡Momoiro Kataomoi♡ (224,480) *Country Musume - Hajimete no Happy Birthday (142,340) *Morning Musume Sakura Gumi - Hare Ame Nochi Suki♥ (81,866) *Abe Natsumi - 22sai no Watashi (81,460) *Morning Musume Otome Gumi - Ai no Sono ~Touch My Heart!~ (75,351) *Nakazawa Yuko - Karasu no Nyoubou (74,700) *Kusumi Koharu - Balalaika (72,709) *Heike Michiyo - GET (70,260) *℃-ute - Kanashiki Amefuri/Adam to Eve no Dilemma (64,080) *Fujimoto Miki - Romantic Ukare Mode (62,000) *BeriKyuu - Chou HAPPY SONG (56,895) *MilkyWay - Anataboshi (49,492) *Buono! - Honto no Jibun (42,035) *W - Aa Ii Na! (41,581) *Berryz Koubou - Dschinghis Khan (37,096) *S/mileage - Please Miniskirt Postwoman! (36,513) *GAM - Thanks! (36,477) *V-u-den - Koi no Nukegara (33,250) *High-King - C\C (Cinderella\Complex) (31,693) (only single) *Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai - Bokura ga Ikiru MY ASIA (30,714) *Mano Erina - Otome no Inori (25,228) *ZYX - Iku ZYX! FLY HIGH (19,086) *Shugo Chara Egg! - Minna no Tamago (17,306) *Ongaku Gatas - Narihajimeta Koi no BELL (14,527) *Iida Kaori - Aegekai ni Dakarete (12,482) *Guardians 4 - Going On! (11,677) *Coconuts Musume - Halation Summer / Summer Night Town (English Version) (9,730) *Athena & Robikerottsu - Seishun! LOVE Lunch (6,371) *Maeda Yuki - Nishi Shinjuku de Atta Hito (3,030) *Lilpri - Little♡Princess☆Pri! (2,749) Lowest Selling Singles *Petitmoni - Pittari Shitai X'mas! (300,320) *Morning Musume Sakura Gumi - Sakura Mankai (61,929) *Tanpopo - BE HAPPY Koi no Yajirobee (60,450) *Morning Musume Otome Gumi - Yuujou ~Kokoro no Busu ni wa Naranee!~ (53,331) *Morning Musume - Pyocopyoco Ultra (34,050) *MilkyWay - Tan Tan Taan! (26,681) *Fujimoto Miki - Okitegami (24,746) *BeriKyuu - Amazuppai Haru ni Sakura Saku (24,745) *GAM - LU LU LU (21,836) *S/mileage - Koi ni Booing Buu! (20,954) *℃-ute - Sekaiichi HAPPY na Onna no Ko (19,830) *W - Miss Love Tantei (18,099) *Morning Musume Tanjou 10nen Kinentai - Itoshiki Tomo e (17,762) *Country Musume - Shining Itoshiki Anata (16,450) *Minimoni - Mirakururun Grand Purin! / Pi~hyara Kouta (16,410) *Goto Maki - Secret (14,861) *Kusumi Koharu - Hapi☆Hapi Sunday! (14,468) *ZYX - Shiroi TOKYO (13,969) *Mano Erina - My Days for You (12,622) *Buono! - Natsu Dakara! (12,554) *Shugo Chara Egg! - Shugo Shugo! (10,899) *V-u-den - Jaja Uma Paradise (10,236) *Berryz Koubou - Fighting Pose wa Date ja Nai! (9,634) *Ongaku Gatas - Yattarouze! (9,042) *Guardians 4 - PARTY TIME (8,722) *Iida Kaori - Door no Mukou de Bell ga Natteta (6,422) *Athena & Robikerottsu - Shouri no BIG WAVE!!! (5,913) *Abe Natsumi - Ameagari no Niji no you ni (4,696) *Nakazawa Yuko - Danna-sama (2,853) *Lilpri - Idolulu (2,671) *Coconuts Musume - Watashi mo "I LOVE YOU" (2,540) Hello! Project Products Price List (in Yens) *Single Regular Edition CD: 1000JPY *Single Limited Edition CD+DVD: 1600JPY *Single Limited Edition CD: 1200JPY *Single V DVD: 1500JPY *Event V DVD: 2000JPY *Concert DVD: 3800JPY *Concert Blu-ray: 5714JPY *Music Video Collection: 3000JPY *Album Regular Edition CD: 3000JPY *Album Limited Edition CD+DVD: 3600JPY See Also *Hello! Project Concerts *Hello! Project Shuffle Unit *Hello! Project Auditions *Hello! Project in entertainment *Member Colors External Links *Hello! Project official website *Hello! Project official Taiwanese website *Official Fanclub website *Hello! Project news feeds at Hello!Online *Hello! Project Official Goods *UFACTORY Channel